James Ritchie had long been intrigued by the massive size and power of steam locomotives but never did anything with them artistically until he "discovered" Charles Sheeler. His photograph "Wheels," which was a study for his painting "Rolling Power" rekindled his interest in photographing steam locomotives and railroads in general, giving birth to this series, Iron, Steel, and Steam.

Sheeler's iconic 1927 photo "Criss-Crossed Conveyors" at Ford Motor Company's Dearborn Rouge Steel complex, and his 1940 Power series of paintings for Fortune Magazine captivated Mr. Ritchie. So much so that, because he lives near Dearborn, he began investigating and photographing Rouge (now AK) Steel. Other heavy industrial sites in the Detroit area (Great Lakes Steel on Zug Island in particular) have also become favorite haunts day and night. Works from those sites reminiscent of, and in tribute to Sheeler have earned their own separate series Homage to Charles Sheeler.